ADAM BOYD has revealed he could have exited Orient earlier than he did.

The 27-year-old striker is back at Hartlepool now after an £80,000 move from Brisbane Road, but says he nearly went in December.

He told fans the move had been sunk by Orient’s own nightmare at Christmas.

He said: “If Orient had sold their top scorer when they were bottom of the league, it would probably have sent out the wrong signals to the fans."

The Hartlepool local scored a total of 12 goals for the O’s last season, including one against Hartlepool in November.

A month later the Orient boss at the time, Martin Ling, rejected an offer by Pools for Boyd.

"I had just signed a contract there but then as soon as they accepted a bid from Hartlepool, that was it. It was real easy” he reflected.

"I've got two kids and a girlfriend who are all from the town (Hartlepool) so to come back to our family, and more importantly the club, was a real easy choice.

"It was hard for Orient in January because they would have taken the money then, if it wasn't for their league position” he told local press.